Auxiliary control for stripping machines for sausage casings and the like



April 27, 1954 2,676,354

E. C. MOSBY AUXILIARY CONTROL FOR STRIPPING MACHINES FOR SAUSAGE CASINGSAND THE LIKE Filed March 14, 1952 INVENTOR. Elbrldqe G. Mosby PatentedApr. 27, 1954 AUXILIARY CONTROL FOR STRIPPING MA- CHINESFOR SAUSAGECASINGS. AND THE LIKE Elbridge C. Mosby,

twenty-five Skokie,Ill.

Chicago, Ill., assignor of." per cent to DavidiManly Heller,

Application March 14, 1952, Serial N 0. 276,661

2 Claims. (01. 17-1) My invention relates to automatic means forstripping, or removing the outer casing from frankfurters, sausages, andthe like; the instant application being an improvement over my copendingpatent application filed October 16, 1951, and designated Serial Number251,484.

In the manufacture of frankfurters, sausages, and the like, which arestufied by a stuffing machine into artificial casings, the frankfurtersare produced and manufactured in chain lengths each containing amultiple number of frankfurters. These lengths are fed into a casingstripping machine after they have been completely smoked, processed andtreated as required, then they are fed into a machine such as is thebasis of my invention, designated hereinabove. In order to automaticallycontrol the feeding of the last frankfurter of a chain of frankfurters,the stripping thereof, and also to automatically control the initialfeeding of the first frankfurter in a chain or length of frankfurters,the improvement disclosed in this application is essential andmandatory.

It is therefore one object of my'invention to provide means forautomatically controlling the operation of the guillotine means and thefrankfurter splitting means, by electrical contact means introducedandconnected in parallel in the existing circuit disclosed in the saidcopending application. I

Another object of my invention is to provide roller means, which willphysically contact the contour of a chain or length of frankfurtersbeing fed into the machine, the said roller means moving in accordancefiguration of the frankfurters with the exception that the end of thelast frankfurter will permit the roller to. break electrical contacts,thus opening the circuit torelease the-guillotine means to inoperativeposition, so as to permit the last-frankfurter to be fed through to thevacuum means for stripping the bisected sections of casing therefrom.

A further object of my invention is to provide yieldable electriccontact means, which will maintain a closed circuit at all times thatthe said roller means is in physical contact with a peripheral portionof the chain or length of frankfurters, and will open the circuit hencebreaking the said contact means when the roller with the peripheralconiii loses physical or intimate contact with the peripheral section offrankfurters.

A further object of my invention is to provide flexible contact meansmotivated by the said the chain or length of roller means to fluctuatein accordance with-the peripheral contour of the chain or lengthf'offrankfurters as it works in and outof the restricted portions betweenfrankfurters, which will permit opening the circuit when the roller hasbeen released from contact with the last frankfurter of the said chainor length of frankfurters; thus opening the circuit of the guillotinemeans, to permit continuous feeding to the ultimate stripping mechanismin the machine.

A still further object of my invention is to provide roller contactmeans resiliently urged into contacting relationship, and normallymaintaining the electrical circuit open, so that when the initial end ofthe chain or length of frankfurters is to be fed into the machine, thesaid roller means will be motivated to close the said resilient contactmeans closing the circuit, so as to cooperate with the other electricalcontact means on the casing splitting station to permit the automaticoperation of the guillotine means, which is governed by the floatingmovement of the roller or guide in the said casing splitting station.

Other objects and advantages inherent in my invention will becomeapparent from an examination of the accompanying drawings, indicating tothose familiar with the art the nature and the operation of theimprovement over my copending patent application, and also depicting asimplified, modified structure for attaining the objects enumeratedherebefore. The various elements comprising the foregoing improvement,are designated in the various views by like numerals, in which;

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view, showing the relationship of theelectrical control means connected in series with the electrical controlmeans indicated in my co-pending patent application.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the improvement illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken, substantially, on the lines 33of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is'a cross-sectional view taken, substantially, on the lines 4-4!of Fig. 3, and shows the flexing of the electrical contact means whenthe roller means is riding on the peripheral portion of a frankfurter infurters.

Fig.5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing the terminal portion of thelast frankfurter of a chain or length of frankfurters being passedthrough the machine and showing how thecircult is open, also indicatingin' phantom lines with parts broken away a chain or length of frank 3the initial end of a subsequent chain or length of frankfurters to befed into the machine to motivate the roller means to the operativeposition indicated in Fig. 4.

Referring to the various views, a chain or length of frankfurters I8 fedthrough guides I by the feed rolls 21 in the machine indicates theobjects to be attained by the structural improvements contained ordisclosed in this application, mainly, opening the circuit so as torelieve the guillotine means 64, of the electro-magnetic influencethereon through the circuit, through which its electro-magnetic elementsare connected. The casing splitting station 63 is provided with anextended bracket portion I41, secured by screws I48 in order to supportthe electrical contact roller means I43, and permit connecting the samein series with the electrical contact means 91 and 99; the structuralarrangement of the parts indicated in various views depicts a rollermeans I43, which is mounted in a fork element I42, which is rotatablymounted on the axle I in rolling arrangement, so as to permit it to rollabout the peripheral contour of the chain or length of frankfurters I8,so that the same will ride on the outer surface of the frankfurters, orfall into the depression resulting from the constriction I44 of thecasing at various points to define individual lengths of frankiurters.

The frankfurter guide It is, preferably, broken at MI in order toprovide a clearance opening for the roller means I43, to be motivatedinwardly and outwardly as the frankfurters are fed thereby.

The fork element I42 is provided stem encircled by the resilient orspring element I46, abutting the bracket I41, the reduced stemterminating in a head portion I49, which is in intimate contact with theelectrical terminal I5il, through the spherical insulating button I55,so as to permit equalization and equalized action when the roller meansI43 is moved inwardly and outwardly, in order that the terminals I513and I52, which are connected by insulating material I5I, may be flexedto the position I59 of Figs. 2, 4 and 5, to operate within that range offlexure depending on the position of the roller means I43 as ittraverses the peripheral portions of the chain or length of frankfurtersI8.

The electrical contact terminals I and I52 are provided with contactpoints I53 and I54, respectively, and when the contact is broken at I58as indicated in Fig, 5, the said condition occurs only when the rollermeans I43 is urged to its maximum position by virtue of the fact that itloses its support on the contour of the frankiurters, inasmuch as theterminal portion I40 having passed the same, the circuit is opened orbroken so that the guillotine means 64 will be released to normalposition and permit the last franki'urter to continue in its passagethrough the stripping station, which by means of pressure and evacuationwill strip the bisected sections of casing material from the lastfrankfurter.

Likewise the introduction of a subsequent chain or length ofirankfurters I8, by virtue of the initial terminal portion I coming intointimate contact with the roller means I43, will compress the spring I46sothat the same will be moved outwardly sufficiently to close the gapI58 and continue to flex the terminals I50, i52 without contacttherebetween being broken, inasinuch as "the said terminals areconnected by with a reduced fail means of leads I56, I51 to contact 91,and to the electric leads 65 and 66, connecting the same in series withthe circuit of the guillotine means as formerly connected to thecontacts, 91 and 99. Thus as the frankfurters are passed through themachine the make and break contacts 91 and 99 will automatically controlthe guillotine means 64, as is disclosed in my co-pending application,yet when the terminal portion I4t passes and allows the contacts 91 and99 to remain closed, without opening the said contacts, the guillotinemeans would also remain in a closed position inasmuch as theelectro-magnets would remain energized, thus militating against thecontinued feeding and passage of the last frankfurter through thefeeding rolls to the casing stripping station; thus by the addition ofthe auxiliary electrical contact means comprising the roller contactmeans I43 and its cooperative organization with the terminals I56 andI52, the circuit will be broken Whenever the last franki'urter is fedthrough as indicated in Fig. 5, and the circuit will be closed onceagain when the initial portion E69 of a subsequent length or chain ofirankiurters is to be fed through the machine.

It is to be noted in the arrangement indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 that thecasing splitting station 53 and the guillotine means 54 are preferablyspaced apart the exact length of one frankfurter, so that when thecontact 91 rides into a depression or constriction between frankfurters,the guillotine will be actuated one frankfurter immediately aheadthereof, and likewise the auxiliary roller contact means I43 will beactuated to open the circuit of the guillotine means when the contactmeans 91 andxsfi is closed because there is no succeeding frankfurter tolift the contact 91 from the contact 99 and break the circuit.

Although the drawings and the above specification disclose the bestmodes in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, I desire tobe in no way limited to the details of such disclosure, for in thefurther practical application of my invention many changes in the formand construction thereof may be made as circumstances require orexperience suggests without departing from the spirit of the inventionas expounded within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed and revealed my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In mechanism for stripping the casing from frankfurters and the like,comprising resilient feed roll means rotatably mounted, casing bisectingmeans disposed ahead of the said feed roll means, the said casingbisecting means being provided with follower means adapted to ride on alength of linked iranhfurter material pass ing therebetween,electro-magnetically actuated guillotine means for severing frankfurterspositioned with respect to the said casing bisecting means a distanceequivalent to the space between adjacent link portions in the saidlinked frankfurter material, electrical switch means on the said casingbisecting means adapted to close an electrical circuit when the saidfollower means drops into a link portion, an electrical circuitconnecting the said electrical switch means and the saidelectro-rnagnetically actuated guillotine means, auxiliary rollercontact means mounted on the said casing bisecting means, spring meanson the said auxiliary roller contact means to maintain the same inriding contact with the peripheral portion of the said length of linkedfrankfurter material, and resilient electrical contact means connectedin series with the said adapted to open the said elecadapted to closethe said electrical circuit when a subsequent length of linkedfrankfurter material is fed into the said casing bisecting means.

2. In mechanism for stripping the tact with the peripheral portion of alength of linked frankfurter material, and resilient electri- ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date2,340,755 Jacobson Feb. 1, 1944 2,369,360 7 Martin Feb.'13, 19452,463,157 Deitrickson Mar. 1, 1949

